PSRCHIVE user documentation: psrstat

1.0 Purpose

The pulsar data statistical query interface, psrstat, provides access to various quantities that can be derived from the data stored in a Pulsar Archive. The interface and output format of this program is similar to psredit, and all of the parameters available in psredit are also available in psrstat. psrstat can also loop over index ranges and evaluate mathematical expressions using the same syntax understood by psrplot.

2.0 Usage

psrstat commands are of the form: 
psrstat -c quantity[ies] [-l index=range] filename[s]
where quantity[ies] is a string of one or more quantities, separated by commas. (Multiple quantities may also be specified by using multiple -c options.)

Each quantity is either a single variable name or a mathematical expression enclosed in braces; e.g. to query the center frequency, off-pulse r.m.s., and the natural logarithm of the signal-to-noise ratio 

psrstat -c freq,off:rms,'{log($snr)}' filename[s]

Note that some quantities are derived from the pulse profile, and by default the profile from the first sub-integration, frequency channel, and polarization will used. It is also possible to specify either the profile or the range of profiles from which such quantities are derived using the -l index=range command line option, which uses the same syntax as described in the psrplot loop documentation.

The syntax for variable substitution, mathematical expressions, and numerical precision is described here.

3.0 Algorithms

Different algorithms are available for computing the signal-to-noise ratio and for identifying the off-pulse and on-pulse regions of the pulse profile. The algorithms can be selected, configured, executed, and queried using syntax similar to that of other parameters, as described here.

4.0 Testing and examples

  • None at this time.

5.0 Known bugs and features that require implementation

  • None at this time.